Method and apparatus for collecting oil from an underwater leak

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for collecting oil from an underwater leak including the steps of (1) detecting the location of the leak, (2) submerging an inverted collector shell under the water to a position directly over and enclosing the leak so that oil, being lighter than water, rises from the source of the leak into the collector shell and displaces water in the collector shell to partially fill the collector shell with oil, (3) providing a conduit leading from the submerged collector shell upward through the water to a pump and from a pump to a storage receptacle, and (4) pumping oil from the collector shell through the conduit to the storage receptacle with said pump. Also disclosed is apparatus for carrying out the method.

United States Madej [54] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING OIL FROM ANUNDERWATER LEAK [72] Inventor: Thaddeus A. Made], 1223 Polk St.,l-lollywood, Fla. 33020 [22] Filed: Apr. 24, 1969 [21} Appl. No.:818,868

[451 May 30,1972

Primary Examiner-Reuben Friedman Assistant Examiner-T. A. GrangerAtI0rney--John H. Oltman ABSTRACT A method and apparatus for collectingoil from an underwater leak including the steps of l) detecting thelocation of the leak, (2) submerging an inverted collector shell underthe water to a position directly over and enclosing the leak so thatoil, being lighter than water, rises from the source of the leak intothe collector shell and displaces water in the collector shell topartially fill the collector shell with oil, (3) providing a conduitleading from the submerged collector shell upward through the water to apump and from a pump to a storage receptacle, and (4) pumping oil fromthe collector shell through the conduit to the storage receptacle withsaid pump, Also disclosed is apparatus for carrying out the method.

2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEnmao 1912 $666,100

sum 2 or 2 THADDEUS A. MADEJ ,,& 1. am

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING OIL FROM AN UNDERWATER LEAKBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Recently, there have been oil leaks fromholes in the ocean floor which have caused great damage to property andalso to wildlife. Efforts to stop such oil leaks by pumping drilling mudinto the source of the leak have not been entirely successful; for onereason, because this process is relatively slow and considerablecontamination may occur before the leak is stopped. A method ofcollecting oil from an underwater leak until the leak can be plugged orotherwise stopped would be desirable.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide amethod of and apparatus for collecting oil from an underwater leak whichcan be carried out relatively rapidly to minimize contamination fromleaking oil.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of and apparatusfor collecting oil from an underwater leak which can be applied toleakage from a fault or fissure as well as to leakage from vertical wellpiping.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method of collectingoil from an underwater leak which can be carried out relativelyeconomically and without unusual danger to operating and repairpersonnel.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method of collectingoil from an underwater leak by means of submerging a collector shell toa position where it covers and partially encircles or encloses thesource of the leak, and causing oil to flow from the collector shell toa storage means.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following descriptionand appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsforming a part of this specification wherein like reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts in the several views.

ON THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a collector shell submerged under waterand, together with the bottom, substantially fully enclosing a faultfrom which oil leaks into the collector shell and from which oil ispumped to a storage receptacle which in this embodiment is in a ship,this view also showing in dashed lines a collector shell positioned overa leak in a drilling pipe;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing another form of collectorshell provided with a vent for venting gas to the surface of the water;and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view, partially broken away, of a collector shellwhich is a modification of the collector shell shown in FIG. 1.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited in its application to thedetails of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of otherembodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also,it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employedherein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

AS SHOWN ON THE DRAWINGS In FIG. 1, an oil leak from a fault is shown,the fault extending to the ocean bottom 12 from an underground oilpocket 14 below the ocean in an off shore location. The pocket 14 isunder an oil well tower 16 which has a well pipe 18. The first step ofthe method of the invention is to locate the fault 10 or other source ofan oil leak, and this is done by conventional techniques.

A collector shell 20 which is shaped something like an inverted funnelis then submerged from the surface of the ocean or other body of waterto a position where it covers and encloses the upper end of the fault 10as shown in FIG. 1. Preferably the open bottom of the collector shell 20is located on or just above the ocean floor 12 directly over the mouthof the fault 10. The collector shell 20 may be lowered by means ofsuitable rigging from a ship or boat and may be guided into positionover the mouth of the fault 10 by divers or television camera.

When the collector shell is in the proper position over the fault 10, aconduit 22 is connected to an open top 23 of the collector shell 20. Theconduit 22 extends from the collector shell to the surface of the bodyof water, and in this embodi ment the upper end of the conduit 22 isconnected to a pump 24 which is mounted on the tower 16 above thesurface of the water. From the pump 24, an extension 22' of the conduit22 leads to a storage receptacle which may be provided in a ship 26 asshown in FIG. 1. If desired, however, a storage receptacle could beprovided in a fixed location, and if the well is not too far from shore,the storage receptacle could be located on shore.

After the collector shell 20 is in place, oil rises from the fault 10directly into the collector shell and displaces some water from thecollector shell to partially fill the shell. Oil or a mixture of oil andwater is then pumped from the collector shell through the conduit 22 tothe storage receptacle 26 by means of the pump 24. The pumping of oilfrom the collector shell 20 is continued at a rate sufficient to drawoff all oil leaking from the fault 10. While this collecting of oil iscontinuing, the well may be plugged as by pumping drilling mud into itby conventional techniques, the collection of oil by means of thecollector shell 20 and pump 24 serving to prevent contamination of thewater until such time as the well can be plugged in a manner to blockthe path or flow of oil to the fault 10.

FIG. 1 also shows in dashed lines how a collector shell 30 may bepositioned around a leak through a hole 32 in the well piping 18. Thecollector shell 30 is again funnel-shaped, and it may be provided in twohalves which may be joined around the piping 18 to position thecollector shell 30 directly over and partially enclosing the hole 32. Aconduit 34 extends from the collector shell 30 to the pump 24 inaccordance with the previous description and it will be assumed that thesame conduit 22' leads from the pump 24 to the storage receptacle in theship 26. Just as in the case where oil is leaking from a source belowthe floor 12 of the ocean, the first step where there is a leak in thepiping 18 is to locate the leak. Next the halves of the funnel orcollector shell 30 are submerged and assembled in a position where thecollector shell 30 partially encloses the opening 32. Oil rises from theopening 32 into the collector shell and displaces some water from theshell. Oil is pumped from the shell through the conduit 34 to thestorage receptacle in the ship 26 by means of the pump 24. Thiscollection of oil is continued until such time as the leak is stopped.

In the case of the shell 30, access may be had to the hole 32 fromunderneath the collector shell. In the case of the collector shell 20,access may be had to the fault 10 through a door 36 provided in the sideof the collector shell 20 as shown.

FIG. 2 shows how the method of the invention may be carried out withslightly different apparatus than that shown in FIG. 1. Since these twoviews are very similar, the same reference numerals are used for likeparts. One of the differences is that the collector shell 20 in FIG. 2has legs 38 which support the bottom of the shell somewhat above thefloor 12 of the ocean. As in the embodiment described previously, thecollector shell 20 is submerged to a position directly over andenclosing the mouth of the fault 10. Oil rises from the fault 10directly into the collector shell 20 and collects in the shell 20. Aconduit 22 is connected to the shell 20 and to a pump 24 provided on thetower 16. The conduit extension 22' leads from the pump 24 to a storagereceptacle such as the ship 26 of FIG. 1. A second conduit 40 leads froman opening 42 at the top of the shell 20 of FIG. 2 to a vent opening 44above the surface of the water. The conduit 40 is connected to the shell20 after it has been submerged. The conduit may be supported by afloating shell 46 as shown. The purpose of the vent conduit 40 is toallow gas to escape from the oil collected in the shell 20.

FIG. 3 shows a modified collector shell 50 which is similar to the shell20 of FIG. 1 in that it has a funnel-like shape. An

opening is provided at the top of the shell 50, and a conduit 52 isconnected to this opening through a valve 54. Other openings areprovided at the sides of the shell 50 near the top thereof, and conduits56 are connected to these openings through valves 58. The door 60 isprovided in the side of the shell, if desired.

The purpose of the conduit 52 is to allow gas to escape to a ventopening such as the opening 44 in FIG. 2. Oil can be pumped throughother conduits 56, and by providing a plurality of conduits 56, morethan one pump can be used if needed. It will be apparent that the othershells could likewise be provided with multiple conduits. It may be seenthat the shell 50 rests on the floor 12 of the ocean or other body ofwater directly above and partially enclosing the mouth of the fault fromwhich oil leaks.

The invention provides a method for collecting oil from an underwaterleak which can be carried out relatively rapidly to minimizecontamination of the water until the leak can be stopped. The apparatusemployed in carrying out the method is relatively simple and not undulyexpensive. The method does not involve serious danger to operating andrepair personnel. The method allows for escape of gas if gas is present.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. Apparatus for collecting oil from a leak in the natural floor of abody of water under the surface of the body of water comprising, aninverted, hollow, heavy or weighted collector shell in the form of aninverted funnel means completely submerged under the surface of thewater and positioned in close proximity to the source of the leakdirectly over and enclosing the leak, a vent conduit leading from theuppermost top of said shell to the surface of the water for ventinggases, means for stabilizing the upper end of said vent conduit, apositive pump at the surface of the water having a suction side and adischarge side, and a conduit leading out from a portion of saidcollector shell below the outlet for said vent conduit and above thebottom of the shell for raising oil and for separating gas from the oilunder water, the latter conduit leading to said suction side and throughsaid pump and out said discharge side to a storage receptacle, said pumpserving in operation to suck oil from said collector shell and supplythe oil to said receptacle, and said vent structure serving to separategas from the oil under the water and vent the same separately from theoil.

2. A method of collecting oil from a leak in a natural floor of a bodyof water under the surface of the body of water, comprising the stepsof:

a. locating the leak,

b. completely submerging a heavy or weighted inverted collector shellunder the surface of the water to a position in close proximity to thesource of the leak and directly over and enclosing the leak to allow oilto rise, because of its lower density, from the leak into the collectorshell, providing a first conduit leading from the side of the shell tothe suction side of a positive pump at the surface of the water and outthe discharge side of the pump to a storage receptacle, and a secondventing conduit from the top of said shell leading to the water surfacefor venting gases, and d. pumping oil from the shell through saidconduit to said storage receptacle by suction with said pump, while e.separating gas in the shell below the water and venting the gas throughsaid second conduit.

1. Apparatus for collecting oil from a leak in the natural floor of abody of water under the surface of the body of water comprising, aninverted, hollow, heavy or weighted collector shell in the form of aninverted funnel means completely submerged under the surface of thewater and positioned in close proximity to the source of the leakdirectly over and enclosing the leak, a vent conduit leading from theuppermost top of said shell to the surface of the water for ventinggases, means for stabilizing the upper end of said vent conduit, apositive pump at the surface of the water having a suction side and adischarge side, and a conduit leading out from a portion of saidcollector shell below the outlet for said vent conduit and above thebottom of the shell for raising oil and for separating gas from the oilunder water, the latter conduit leading to said suction side and throughsaid pump and out said discharge side to a storage receptacle, said pumpserving in operation to suck oil from said collector shell and supplythe oil to said receptacle, and said vent structure serving to separategas from the oil under thE water and vent the same separately from theoil.
 2. A method of collecting oil from a leak in a natural floor of abody of water under the surface of the body of water, comprising thesteps of: a. locating the leak, b. completely submerging a heavy orweighted inverted collector shell under the surface of the water to aposition in close proximity to the source of the leak and directly overand enclosing the leak to allow oil to rise, because of its lowerdensity, from the leak into the collector shell, c. providing a firstconduit leading from the side of the shell to the suction side of apositive pump at the surface of the water and out the discharge side ofthe pump to a storage receptacle, and a second venting conduit from thetop of said shell leading to the water surface for venting gases, and d.pumping oil from the shell through said conduit to said storagereceptacle by suction with said pump, while e. separating gas in theshell below the water and venting the gas through said second conduit.